Dian Wei - in Fiction

In Fiction

Romance of the Three Kingdoms, a historical novel by Luo Guanzhong, was a romanticized version of the events that occurred during the Three Kingdoms era.

In the book, Dian Wei was introduced to Cao Cao by Xiahou Dun sometime in 193. According to Xiahou Dun, Dian Wei used to serve in Zhang Miao's camp. After killing dozens of comrades with his bare hands following a dispute, Dian Wei escaped to the hills. Xiahou Dun, while out hunting, found Dian Wei chasing a tiger across a stream and brought the man back to his camp.

Cao Cao then asked Dian Wei to demonstrate his martial skills. Carrying his halberds, each of which weighed 40 jin, Dian Wei vaulted himself onto a horse and galloped to and fro. Then he saw a huge banner about to topple in the strong wind. A crowd of soldiers were struggling vainly to hold it up. Dian Wei dismounted and held the banner perfectly steady with just one hand.

Seeing this, Cao Cao exclaimed, "This is E Lai from the ancient times!" Thus this fictional nickname of Dian Wei stuck with him, and he was henceforth known as "E Lai" Dian Wei. In the novel after his death Cao Cao could not find his body and wept because of this, furthermore he expressed sorrow that Dian Wei who was talented died, while he couldn't feel as much sorrow for his son and nephew who also died in the battle.